Breakfast, Not In Bed
by Kalira69
Summary: A quiet, sweet good morning on a happy birthday.


I don't often write things for character's birthdays but a couple of months ago I set up a fandom calendar of birthdays so I'd at least maybe remember them - a few days ago it reminded me of Chouji's today and I decided I had to write a flufflet. :)

* * *

Chouji kept his eyes closed, an irrepressible smile tugging at his lips as he focused on the light, trailing caresses wandering up his arm and over his shoulder to his chest - callused fingertips mapping out languid patterns.

"Good morning, darling."

Chouji opened his eyes to find Shikamaru leaning over him, dark eyes as warm as his soft voice had been. Chouji tipped his head up and was met with a soft kiss, every bit as lazy and sweet as the caresses. He purred with pleasure, hands sliding up to cup Shikamaru's hipbones. He arched into the hold and nuzzled Chouji's cheek with a low moan even as he began to draw back.

"Good morning." Chouji said happily once their lips parted.

Shikamaru hummed, folding his arms on Chouji's chest and leaning down across them. Chouji chuckled at his husband, smoothing a hand over Shikamaru's side and back, all the way up to tug playfully at his ponytail.

Shikamaru grumbled quietly at the pull, but he was smiling, and when he shifted it was only to snuggle that little bit closer to Chouji, not to pull away. Chouji tugged his hair again and he made a sulkier noise, closing his eyes and tipping his head to rest his cheek on his forearms.

He settled, if anything, more pointedly across Chouji's body, as though pinning him in bed. Chouji wrapped both arms around him, hardly averse to remaining here like this, anyway.

Shikamaru lifted his head again with a smile, back arching under Chouji's hands with a languid stretch. "Mm. . . Happy birthday." he said, one fingertip trailing over Chouji's cheek - following the spiral there. Chouji grinned happily.

"Wondered what had you up before me." he said, not quite a question.

Shikamaru sniffed, but there was a little smile on his lips. "Not breakfast in bed, I can tell you." he said dryly, and Chouji laughed. Though he didn't care for it, Shikamaru was a good cook, when he was moved to put in the effort, but that was relatively - and unsurprisingly - rare. Chouji didn't mind, particularly as he actually _enjoyed_ cooking.

"I convinced Ino that it wouldn't be right for _her_ to make you breakfast in bed and that you would actually rather cook for all of us yourself anyway, even on your own birthday." Shikamaru said, snorting. "I think I've done my part for the salvation of breakfast as it is." He winked, lips tugging into a tiny, sharp smile.

Chouji shuddered. "All right." he agreed, smiling at his husband. He loved to cook for his friends and family, and beyond that, the thought of Ino's cooking. . . Worse, of Ino cooking in _his kitchen_. Chouji winced.

It was perhaps lucky for Kiba that he would eat almost anything happily. Or that he'd learned from his mother and older sister when it was best to suffer in silence over drawing a lady's ire.

"Who is 'all of us'?" Chouji asked curiously.

"Just you and I, plus Ino and Kiba. Kurenai said something about taking you - us - out for dinner, that will no doubt involve everyone else." Shikamaru yawned and even though he didn't actually speak it, Chouji could hear the mumbled _troublesome_.

"That'll be nice, then." Chouji said fondly. He ruffled Shikamaru's ponytail and nuzzled his cheek, hugging him tighter. "When will the others be here?" he asked absently.

"They're already downstairs." Shikamaru said lazily, stretching again and then curling into the curve of Chouji's arm.

He stiffened. " _What?_ Shika!"

"What?" Shikamaru actually looked startled. "It's your birthday, they can be patient." He huffed, settling pointedly where he lay.

Chouji shoved him off. "Shika!" he scolded, sliding out of bed. Shikamaru _sighed_ , sprawling languidly across their bed and for a moment Chouji was distracted into forgetting both why he was cross and why he was getting up. "Company! We have guests and you just-" He rubbed his face.

Shikamaru laughed and rolled out of bed, slouching to his feet. "It's just Ino and Kiba. Relax, darling." he soothed, kissing Chouji's cheek. "It's your birthday, they'll wait on you. And I thought you deserved to sleep in." He trailed a line of more kisses across Chouji's cheek to his lips, and Chouji relaxed, returning the soft kiss.

"Maybe it was nice." He admitted against Shikamaru's mouth. "But it's still rude."

"They'll blame me and not you anyway." Shikamaru pointed out with a smirk. Of course they would, rightly, not that he ever cared. "You're up now, and there's no going back to change it however it offends your sensibilities."

Chouji had to admit that was true, and let himself be coaxed into relaxing again. It _was_ his birthday, and while Ino could throw a fit over _anything_ with the proper motivation he knew she would only tease anyway.

"True. I'm not letting you distract me any more, though." Chouji said firmly, glaring playfully at his husband and stealing a last light kiss before moving away to dress. When he glanced back Shikamaru had returned to lounging on the bed rather than going back downstairs ahead of him. He grinned, not really surprised.


End file.
